Sekisui push continues amid fears scale of project ignored

PROPOSED: The Westin Coolum Resort and Spa is one aspect of Sekisui House's Yaroomba Beach proposal which has gathered support, but there are fears it has overshadowed the scale of the development proposed.Contributed`

LEADING construction and tourism bodies have thrown their support behind Sekisui House's Yaroomba Beach proposal.

Housing Industry Association Sunshine Coast branch manager Stuart Collins said the controversial 19ha proposal was "vital to meeting local housing challenges" of the next decade.

He said given the SEQ Regional Plan required another 87,000 dwellings on the Coast by 2041, new homes and infrastructure were needed in a timely pipeline.

He described the Yaroomba Beach project as an "exemplar of good infill development" to meet that need.

"The Yaroomba Beach proposal brings together a residential community, top quality tourism assets and public spaces on a site that is close to existing services," he said.

"It also provides a diversity of housing stock - one, two and three-bedroom apartments and terrace homes in an area where 75% of existing stock is a house of three or more bedrooms."

Mr Collins' comments came as Queensland Tourism Industry Council CEO Daniel Gschwind threw his support behind the 5-star Westin Coolum Resort and Spa aspect of the controversial, $900 million development, while Visit Sunshine Coast called for 5-star hotel investment in the region.

The Federal Government's Trade and Investment Commission also penned a letter of support to the council for the project.

Sunshine Coast Environment Council spokeswoman Narelle McCarthy feared the scale of the residential development proposed was being overlooked by the much-touted resort component.

"The hotel itself is only a small component of the overall proposal," she said.

She said Sekisui House had focused its campaign around the hotel proposal, when she said the major use of the 19ha beachfront site was residential.

Ms McCarthy believed the ideal outcome for the site would be for it to be a dedicated, low-rise eco-tourism venture which she said would support tourism while respecting the town plan.

The proposed total density of the site is about 1225 dwelling and rooming units with consultation running until January 16.